1947 Mount Albert by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 July 2019 1947 Mount Albert by-election New Zealand 1947 By-election no 1946 New Zealand general election 1946 general 1949 New Zealand general election 1949 general The Mount Albert seat in the House of Representatives.Election by simple majority using first-past-the-post voting. 1947 9 24 y 12,943 (87.09%) 100px Warren Freer New Zealand Labour Party 7,235 56.01% 100px Jack Garland New Zealand National Party 5,682 43.99% Member Arthur Richards New Zealand Labour Party Warren Freer New Zealand Labour Party The 1947 Mount Albert by-election was a by-election held during the 28th New Zealand Parliament in the Auckland electorate of Mount Albert. The by-election occurred following the death of MP Arthur Richards and was won by Warren Freer. Background Arthur Richards, who was first elected to represent Roskill for the Labour Party in 1931, died on 5 August 1947.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19470806.2.87 Fatal Illness - Member for Mt. Albert - Death of Mr A. S. Richards 6 August 1947 26532 Otago Daily Times 23 June 2020 6 This triggered the Mount Albert by-election, which occurred on 24 September 1947. Warren Freer was the candidate for the Labour Party, and Jack Garland was the candidate for the National Party. Candidates Labour There were nine nominees for the Labour Party candidacy who included:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19470820.2.75 Labour Considers Mt Albert Nominee 20 August 1947 The Northern Advocate 23 June 2020 8 Alex Dixon, a former RNZAF pilot and Labour's candidate for Rodney in 1946. James Freeman, vice-president of the Timber Workers' Union and Labour's candidate for Remuera in 1946. Warren Freer, secretary of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee and Labour's candidate for Eden in 1946. Bill Schramm former MP for Auckland East and Speaker who was defeated in Parnell in 1946. The decision was deferred to the Labour Party's national executive. Freer was only 26 and relatively unknown to executive members, but local member Dick Barter convinced party leader Peter Fraser that his candidacy in Eden was adequate apprenticeship.Freer 2004 26 He was eventually selected.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19470826.2.97 Labour Party Selects Candidate for Mount Albert Seat 26 August 1947 26189 Evening Star 23 June 2020 6 Mount Albert Poll - Labour Candidate Selected 26 August 1947 The New Zealand Herald 6 Richards had urged Freer to stand for the safe Labour seat of Mt Albert when he died.Freer 2004 26 National The National Party had five nominations which were:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19470823.2.33 National Nominees For Mt Albert 23 August 1947 The Northern Advocate 23 June 2020 4 Alfred Thomas Dow, secretary of the Auckland Provincial School Committees' Association and a former member of the Mount Eden Borough Council. Peter Collingwood Fisher, of Hamilton, a wounded RNZAF officer, who served in Britain. Jack Garland, a former member of the Auckland City Council and a candidate for the council at the next municipal elections. Leon Götz, National candidate for Auckland Central in 1946. Joan Rattray, a member of the Auckland City Council and the Metropolitan Youth Council. Garland was chosen after winning a ballot of local members.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19470902.2.20 National Candidate for Mt Albert Seat 2 September 1947 The Northern Advocate 23 June 2020 3 Campaign Freer recalled two inspiring campaign speeches delivered by Martyn Finlay and Mabel Howard which were received well by voters.Freer 2004 28 Previous election 1946 general election: Mount AlbertNorton 1988 280 New Zealand Labour Party Arthur Richards 7,681 56.88 New Zealand National Party Frederick Ashley Hosking 5,824 43.12 74 0.54 1,857 13.75 13,579 94.47 14,374 Results The following table gives the election results: Freer obtained 56% of the votes and was successful.Norton 1988 280 Freer was staggered when his majority was close to that of Richards in 1946, rather than being well below (as for most by-elections).Freer 2004 29 At the November local-body elections Garland was elected a member of the Auckland City Council. Freer would hold the Mount Albert electorate for more than three decades until he retired at the 1981. See also List of New Zealand by-elections 2009 Mount Albert by-election 2017 Mount Albert by-election Notes References Freer Warren A Lifetime in Politics: the memoirs of Warren Freer 2004 Victoria University Press Wellington 0-86473-478-6 Norton Clifford New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987 1988 Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science Wellington 0-475-11200-8 Category:Politics of the Auckland Region Category:1947 elections in New Zealand Category:By-elections in New Zealand Category:1940s in Auckland Category:September 1947 in Oceania